Northampton are convinced that they have the mental resolve and firepower to break their demoralising cycle of East Midlands derby failure against champions Leicester on Friday night.

The Saints go into the Aviva Premiership semi-final at Franklin’s Gardens under the weight of recent history. All the numbers stack up to a daunting task, as the hosts are without a win in their last 10 encounters with the Tigers, in a grim sequence stretching back to September 2010.

The old rivalry has become decidedly one-sided of late.

Knocked back: Saints have been unable to beat Leicester in any of their last 10 meetings

In addition, Richard Cockerill’s title-holders have won on their last three visits to Northampton and are hell-bent on reaching the final for a 10th successive season.

Twickenham has become their annual domain but their neighbours believe they can deny them yet another showpiece occasion.

‘All these good records have to come to an end,’ said Jim Mallinder, the Saints’ director of rugby. ‘You wouldn’t have expected Clermont to lose at home last weekend.’

That was in reference to French giants Clermont Auvergne’s defeat to Castres which finally halted a 76-game unbeaten streak at their Stade Marcel Michelin fortress.

Yet, set aside past results in this often volatile fixture — including their 37-17 defeat in last year’s final — and the omens are good for Northampton.

Determined: Jim Mallinder (right) believes that home advantage could be crucial for the Saints

They finished second in the Premiership table, a place above Leicester, to ensure their play-off would be at Franklin’s Gardens, which Mallinder considers vital.

‘It is a massive plus to play at home,’ he said. ‘I know they have beaten us here but it is very, very hard to go to Welford Road and win.’

Despite their derby disappointments and the continuing absence of their captain, Dylan Hartley, the Saints are regarded as front-runners this time, with Ladbrokes making the home side 8-13 favourites, with the Tigers under-dogs – so to speak – at 11-8.

They are adamant that they can match their opponents for forward clout and game-breaking threats out wide.

‘This is the strongest squad we have ever had and we want to win big trophies,’ said Mallinder. ‘If you go through our team, there are players with an X-factor, whether that is in the forwards with Courtney (Lawes) or Samu (Manoa), or (Kahn) Fotuali’i, (Luther) Burrell, George North, Jamie Elliott, George Pisi.’

Power players: Mallinder pinpointed the likes of Burrell (left) and North (right) as key to the Saints' success

Out: Northampton will miss their inspirational skipper Dylan Hartley as they look to progress

Toby Flood will resume his familiar half-back partnership with Ben Youngs, after being recalled at No 10, with Owen Williams — who suffered a dead leg in the win over Saracens last weekend — among the replacements.

The Tigers will be fiercely driven to win a place at Twickenham but Northampton are fuelled by a hunger to lower their rivals’ colours at long last. ‘I’m sick and tired of losing to them,’ said their England flanker, Tom Wood.

‘On my debut for Northampton we had a really good day against Leicester but since then we have stalled against them. We’ve had controversy going on with a few decisions going against us but whether the sense of occasion has got to us in the past, I’m not sure.

‘Our record against Leicester is quite poor. I don’t think they’re in our heads, I think they’re very beatable.

'We just have to start well, get into the game and get among it, and then I think we have got the armoury to beat them. Leicester have had our number for a while, too long in our minds and we owe them one. We owe them a few.’

Key man: Tuilagi scored against Saints in last's years Premiership final, and could be important again

Mallinder was bullish in suggesting that his men are capable of rising to this major occasion, adding: ‘On our day this season we’ve beaten some very good sides.

'We beat Saracens here, which was a great performance, we went away to Leinster and won there and we’ve beaten Harlequins. We know that when we need to get our game right, we can beat anybody.’

Ultimately, the past will count for nothing on the night. If Leicester are to extend their dominance of this fixture and their record of reaching Twickenham, it will require a monumental effort. This one is too close to call.